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Saskatchewan Health Minister Paul Merriman said there were signs the province is entering its fourth wave of the COVID-19 pandemic, but the provincial government is not ready to impose vaccinations.
It would undermine “people’s personal rights,” Merriman said at a press conference in the Legislature on Wednesday, following opposition pressure to force vaccines on certain groups, including healthcare workers .
“I don’t know why this has to be a government mandate,” Merriman said. “If it’s mandated by the government, it changes the fact that the government tells you what to do rather than choosing to go do it. If people don’t want to be vaccinated, it’s their choice.”
Merriman said there was a small percentage of people who “just won’t get vaccinated” and that incentives used in other provinces have not been shown to improve the number of vaccinations. Instead, the province recently held vaccination clinics at the Saskatchewan Roughrider games and festivals, he said.
“I think everyone should go get the shot. I mean, that’s really the end of the story for me, is that people have to go get the shot.”
Those who refuse to do so are not making an informed choice, he said.
“I think there’s a lot of misinformation going around about vaccines for a very long time,” Merriman said.
Saskatchewan has the second-lowest single-dose vaccination rate among all provinces at 64.25 percent, and the lowest percentage of people fully vaccinated against COVID-19 at 56.84 percent, according to Health Canada.
Merriman’s appearance came after eight consecutive days in which more than 100 new cases of COVID-19 were announced in the province. Moments before his appearance, the province announced 216 new cases of the illness, bringing the province’s seven-day daily average of new cases to 172.
If it’s a government mandate, it changes the government factor telling you what to do instead of choosing to go get it. If people don’t want to be vaccinated, that’s their choice.– Saskatchewan Health Minister Paul Merriman on COVID-19 mandates
The press conference also took place a day after Ryan Meili, Saskatchewan’s NDP opposition leader, called on Merriman and Premier Scott Moe to “come out of hiding.” Meili accused Merriman and Moe of being largely absent from the public as the number of COVID-19 cases has increased in recent weeks.
Although the Saskatchewan Health Authority recently held media briefings, including a Tuesday to discuss a COVID-19 lab error that resulted in 206 false positives – The Government of Saskatchewan had not held a COVID-19 press conference since July 7, which ended with a handshake from Moe and Chief Medical Officer of Health Dr. Saqib Shahab.
“The prime minister shook hands with Dr Shahab and said to the province: ‘You are alone. We are not showing up anymore,'” Meili said.
Merriman said there is currently no discussion of returning regular COVID-19 briefings.
Meili resumed her attacks after Merriman’s press conference, claiming that Merriman has a “complete lack of understanding” of his work.
Meili said the government should demand that healthcare workers, teachers and those who work with vulnerable people get vaccinated. He said the same should apply to people attending big events like the Riders games and concerts.
He also called on the province to release figures showing how many children under 12 have COVID-19 and are hospitalized.
19 people infected in intensive care
Merriman said the government was paying close attention to hospitalization figures linked to COVID-19. Currently, 19 people with COVID-19 are in intensive care, he said.
As the province experiences higher transmission of COVID-19 among people aged 19 and under, they are affected more gently and “don’t end up in hospital,” Merriman said.
The minister acknowledged recent pressures on health workers, some of whom are taking “well-deserved leave”.
Merriman also addressed the COVID-19 lab error announced on Tuesday, saying it was particularly unfortunate that it affected residents of the Extendicare Parkside Nursing Home in Regina, which experienced a COVID-19 outbreak in the winter. last one that killed 39 people.
“It’s very traumatic if you get a false lab result on anything,” Merriman said.
Doctor asks for interior masking
The province said it currently has no plans to implement province-wide vaccination restrictions or mandates.
In a letter to First Nations across the province on Tuesday, the Indigenous Services Canada medical officer of health for Saskatchewan warned that the delta variant was spreading at gatherings such as sporting events, family reunions and camp camps. summer.
In addition to strongly encouraging all people aged 12 and over to get a full COVID-19 vaccine, Dr Ibrahim Kahn also called on everyone to wear masks indoors or where physical distancing not possible.
“The more these public health measures are followed, the less likely our healthcare staff will be overwhelmed with COVID-19 cases,” Kahn wrote.
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